I'm a student from Bangladesh. Actually I'm very interested in studying Computer Science. Both University of Oxford and University of Cambridge really attract me. So I've a dream to study in one of the twos. Now, which university would you prefer? Again, is there any chance for the students like us to cover some of the tution fees by doing a part time job?? I mean that would it be easy for us doing so to lessen the pressure that's on my family??

Both are amazing universities. I really can't tell you which is better because it depends entirely on what you want from them. Of course you can pay for tuition through a job! While scholarships and financial aid are incredibly helpful in college applications, it may not cover the full tuition. I know many college students who have a part-time job while in college to help cover the costs.

Who do I ask for financial aid packet?

You can call and ask the college you are going to for a financial aid packet.

i was wondering. if you had a dorm, do you pick a dorm partner or is it random. also is the dorm big?

its random and depends on the typa of dorm

Was it hard not having your parents to help?

In some families, parents don't contribute to their kids education due to financial situations, housing situations, work management etc. This makes it hard for parents to find time with their kids and that is why some kids find it difficult to talk and start a conversation with their parents. Altogether, it is just a lack of communication between the kids and parents.

What does a college application look like? Is it just a form asking about your self and your strengths?

Different colleges may have different applications, and so might different states. For example, in the state of Texas, we have a common application - you can check it out here: https://www.applytexas.org/adappc/gen/c_start.WBX

How get a financial aid (that is not a loan)?

You have to apply for them. Tell your school counselor that you're looking for scholarships and grants and they'll help you.

how much should we spend on university application fees, because we can't apply to so many colleges at a time because each application costs?

That depends on your family's budget. However, if application fees are a concern, you can see a counselor at your school about a fee waiver. Some colleges allow students to apply for free, but not many. If you google it, you can probably find a list.

Who do I ask for financial aid packet?

Access the web page of the college or university to which you wish to apply. Click on the link for Admission and Aid (or the equivalent term that you'll find there, each school chooses its own terms). Follow the links to the information that you'll need.

Main content

Course: College admissions > Unit 1

Lesson 3: Access to college

Student story: Overcoming the financial aid process as an obstacle to college

Name: Student story: Overcoming the financial aid process as an obstacle to college
Uploaded: 2014-08-12T15:57:06Z
Description: This student faced challenges with the financial aid process for college. Their parents' were mystified by the process and were not used to keeping financial records, which are important for financial aid applications. The student relied on their sister's experience and online research to complete financial aid forms like the CSS Profile, often filling in zeros or seeking answers elsewhere.

Google Classroom

This student faced challenges with the financial aid process for college. Their parents' were mystified by the process and were not used to keeping financial records, which are important for financial aid applications. The student relied on their sister's experience and online research to complete financial aid forms like the CSS Profile, often filling in zeros or seeking answers elsewhere.

Want to join the conversation?

Sort by:

Rifah Sanjida
Posted 8 years ago. Direct link to Rifah Sanjida's post “I'm a student from Bangla...”
I'm a student from Bangladesh. Actually I'm very interested in studying Computer Science. Both University of Oxford and University of Cambridge really attract me. So I've a dream to study in one of the twos. Now, which university would you prefer?

Again, is there any chance for the students like us to cover some of the tution fees by doing a part time job?? I mean that would it be easy for us doing so to lessen the pressure that's on my family??
Button navigates to signup pageButton navigates to signup page
(7 votes)
Answer
- Merrick Donaldson
  Posted 7 years ago. Direct link to Merrick Donaldson's post “Both are amazing universi...”
  Both are amazing universities. I really can't tell you which is better because it depends entirely on what you want from them. Of course you can pay for tuition through a job! While scholarships and financial aid are incredibly helpful in college applications, it may not cover the full tuition. I know many college students who have a part-time job while in college to help cover the costs.
  Comment on Merrick Donaldson's post “Both are amazing universi...”
  (10 votes)
B
Posted 5 years ago. Direct link to B's post “What about kids who are i...”
What about kids who are independent of their parents and applying for college? Will their parent's financial situation still affect them?
Button navigates to signup pageButton navigates to signup page
(5 votes)
Answer
Elizabeth Pannell
Posted 4 years ago. Direct link to Elizabeth Pannell's post “Who do I ask for financia...”
Who do I ask for financial aid packet?
Button navigates to signup pageButton navigates to signup page
(4 votes)
Answer
- ⭐BEST20042007⭐
  Posted 3 years ago. Direct link to ⭐BEST20042007⭐'s post “You can call and ask the ...”
  You can call and ask the college you are going to for a financial aid packet.
  Button navigates to signup page
  (3 votes)
Tim Zhen
Posted 7 years ago. Direct link to Tim Zhen's post “i was wondering. if you h...”
i was wondering. if you had a dorm, do you pick a dorm partner or is it random. also is the dorm big?
Button navigates to signup pageComment on Tim Zhen's post “i was wondering. if you h...”
(3 votes)
Answer
- first name last name
  Posted 7 years ago. Direct link to first name last name's post “its random and depends on...”
  its random and depends on the typa of dorm
  Button navigates to signup page
  (3 votes)
laisha pardo
Posted 4 years ago. Direct link to laisha pardo's post “Was it hard not having yo...”
Was it hard not having your parents to help?
Button navigates to signup pageButton navigates to signup page
(3 votes)
Answer
- ⭐BEST20042007⭐
  Posted 3 years ago. Direct link to ⭐BEST20042007⭐'s post “In some families, parents...”
  In some families, parents don't contribute to their kids education due to financial situations, housing situations, work management etc. This makes it hard for parents to find time with their kids and that is why some kids find it difficult to talk and start a conversation with their parents. Altogether, it is just a lack of communication between the kids and parents.
  Button navigates to signup page
  (3 votes)
Ria
Posted 6 years ago. Direct link to Ria's post “What does a college appli...”
What does a college application look like? Is it just a form asking about your self and your strengths?
Button navigates to signup pageButton navigates to signup page
(3 votes)
Answer
- Dayvyd
  Posted 5 years ago. Direct link to Dayvyd's post “Different colleges may ha...”
  Different colleges may have different applications, and so might different states. For example, in the state of Texas, we have a common application - you can check it out here: https://www.applytexas.org/adappc/gen/c_start.WBX
  Button navigates to signup page
  (3 votes)
João Pedro Souza Matos
Posted 7 years ago. Direct link to João Pedro Souza Matos's post “How get a financial aid (...”
How get a financial aid (that is not a loan)?
Button navigates to signup pageButton navigates to signup page
(3 votes)
Answer
- B
  Posted 5 years ago. Direct link to B's post “You have to apply for the...”
  You have to apply for them. Tell your school counselor that you're looking for scholarships and grants and they'll help you.
  Button navigates to signup page
  (3 votes)
Alecia Petridis
Posted 9 years ago. Direct link to Alecia Petridis's post “how much should we spend ...”
how much should we spend on university application fees, because we can't apply to so many colleges at a time because each application costs?
Button navigates to signup pageButton navigates to signup page
(2 votes)
Answer
- Erin
  Posted 9 years ago. Direct link to Erin's post “That depends on your fami...”
  That depends on your family's budget. However, if application fees are a concern, you can see a counselor at your school about a fee waiver. Some colleges allow students to apply for free, but not many. If you google it, you can probably find a list.
  Button navigates to signup page
  (2 votes)
MatthewS
Posted a year ago. Direct link to MatthewS's post “Who do I ask for financia...”
Who do I ask for financial aid packet?
Button navigates to signup pageButton navigates to signup page
(2 votes)
Answer
- David Alexander
  Posted a year ago. Direct link to David Alexander's post “Access the web page of th...”
  Access the web page of the college or university to which you wish to apply.
  Click on the link for Admission and Aid (or the equivalent term that you'll find there, each school chooses its own terms).
  
  Follow the links to the information that you'll need.
  Button navigates to signup page
  (2 votes)

Video transcript

- When the financial aid process came, I... It was very difficult. It was very difficult explaining to your parents with very little familiarity with keeping financial records that all of a sudden you need all of these documents, because you need to give them all this information and then they can give you a financial aid package. They knew I needed financial aid, but they didn't know what the steps were to get there. My parents are very interesting. They're very hands-off parents. I will never say that they weren't supportive, but they were completely mystified by the entire process, because like I said, both of them... My dad works at a factory making sofas, and my mom works at a high school cafeteria. Completely not familiar whatsoever with college, the college admissions process or anything like that. So on the one hand they were very supportive, but on the other hand, when I would ask them questions about the financial aid stuff, they were just like, "I don't know. "I'm not quite sure what that is." And my sister had to deal with the same frustration when she was applying two years earlier. And so the only person I really had to go on was my sister's experience, but at the same time, old habits are hard to break, so my parents still didn't have detailed financial records. But one of the interesting things that does happen when you're in my particular situation is when you fill out things like the CSS Profile, a lot of it's just zeros. They'll be like, "What's your value of property here?" I was like, "I don't have property, "we don't have that, we don't have that." But when it came to things like what is the value of your car, or what is the value of your mortgage, I had to go back to ask my parents, and often they didn't really know what I was talking about, and a lot of times, I just kind of had to bypass them and sort of look it up online and try to figure out, and figure out through other people what that number might have been, figure it out through my sister, so that was frustrating. But like I said, my parents were as supportive as they possibly could be, but at the same time, they just didn't know what the process was like.